Garment hanger



W. P. BUFFIN GARMENT HANGER Aug. 7, 1951 Filed Aug. 24, 1949 Jwuontob Patented Aug. '7, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,563,704 GARMENT HANGER Willard P. Buflin, Richmond, Va. Application August 24, 1949, Serial No. 112,128

I 4 Claims. (01. 223-88) The invention tov which the following description relates is for improvements in a garment hanger having advantages in construction and utility when compared with the prevailing designs.

Garment hangers, specifically those providing for both trousers and coats, areordinarily made of heavy wire, bent in the desired. form and having the ends twisted togetherto provide a closed structure and also to provide a suitable hook for suspending the hanger and the garments. However, it is impossible to avoid a narrow fold where the garments are suspended, since the wire or rod does not admit of localized widening.

Primarily, I have devised a garment hanger in which the mass of metal is redistributed for greater utility but without loss of strength. Also, appropriate shaping of the'material provides for local areas of increased width by which the garment portions are separated, and creasing or stretching of the fabric is avoided."

It is an object of my invention to. provide a garment hanger from a single piece of sheet metal rolled and bent in an improved form to serve the purposes intended.

Another object of my invention is to fasten together the ends of the material in forming the hanger, without however, twisting one end or leaving it exposed.

A further object of my invention is to use the material for relatively wider support where the collar and shoulders of the garment rest.

A still further object of my invention is to bend the hanger into such a, form as it will approximate the shape of the garment itself.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cross bar for suspending a folded nether garment, such as a pair of trousers, on a relatively wide support with special means to prevent the garments from slipping off of the hanger.

The above and other advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the preferred form as described in detail in the following specification and illustrated by way of example on the attached drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved garment hanger;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical cross-section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar cross-section on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal cross-section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 6 is a similar cross-section on the line 8-6 of Fig. 1.

Briefly described, I substitute a narrow strip of sheet metal in place of the customary solid round wire or rod and thus am enabled to improve the fastening of the parts together, give varied width to the sustaining portions and provide for greater strength where it is most needed.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the hanger denoted generally by the numeral '1, is formed of a rolled sheet metal strip which is given cross-sections of various widths'for the purpose of improving the utility of the article. Thus, one end 8 is coiled into a hollow tube and bent in the form of a hook.

The remaining portion of the strip is bent into a closed position to form the hanger proper 9. This portion has a hollow or channel crosssection of varying widths. The second end In is brought back, bent into a tubular form (Fig. 6) and inserted within the shank of the hook 8. The two parts are then crimped as shown in Fig. ,4, so that the shank of the hook is thus reinforced and the parts permanently held together by friction.

"The portions 9 have an increased inclination from points spaced from the junction of 8 and It, in order to provide a slope conforming to that of the collar of the garment. This portion I2 is given a greater diameter as shown in Fig. 4. This improves the support of the collar, without forming a sharp crease or fold.

At the outer ends of the portions 9, the metal is bent downwardly to form the bends l3. Here again, the bends are of greater cross-section than the general portions 9. In every instance, the portions 9, l2 and I3 are downwardly open channel members.

The opposite bends l 3 are connected by a horizontal cross-bar 14. This has the same width as the bends shown in Figs. 3 and 5. However, the bar I4 is reversely curved from the bends l3 and provides a convex upper surface. This relatively broad upper surface has a series of longitudinal fastening ribs l5. By the use of the ribs, the cross bar I4 is materially more rigid. At the same time, these ribs offer an increased friction surface. The garment is therefore less apt to slip from the cross bar I4 when folded over it.

It will be seen that the side edges of the sheet metal have been folded back to provide double thickness and a smooth finish. The cross bar has also been provided with a fiuted edge 16 directed upwardly in place of the fold and upon which the garment will rest. This insures further against slipping.

By bringing the second end into the shank of the hook 8, no loose end is exposed, and the hook itself is strengthened.

The ease with which the garment may be supported on this hanger will be quite apparent, and the freedom from sharp folds at the points of support will beoevident. The hanger can be made cheaply and readily and will be durable in use.

Minor changes in material, proportions and details of construction are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as found in the following claims. 7

What I claim:

1. A garment hanger formed from a single strip of sheet metal, one end or the strip being coiled into a hollow tube and shaped to provide the shank and supporting hook for the hanger, the other end of the strip being coiled into a tube fitting "within the tubular shank and held therein by crimping the shank, the'portions of the strip adjacentthe said ends being extended outwardly and downwardly from the shank and being of inwardly facing open channel formation, widened where they support the collar and shoulders of the garment, said portions being connected by a horizontal portion of downwardly facing open channel formation.

' 2'. A garmentyhanger formed from a single strip of sheet metal, one end of the strip being coiledlinto a hollow tube and shaped to provide theshank and supporting hook for the hanger, the other end of the strip being coiled into a tube fitting within the tubular shank and held therein by crimping. the shank, the portions of the strip adjacent the said ends being extended outwardly and downwardly from the shank and being of' inwardly facing open channel formation, widened where they support the collar and shoulders of the garment, said portions being connected by a horizontal portion of downwardly facing open channel formation, said downwardly facing channel portion having longitudinally upwardlyextending ribs, to prevent the garment folded over the same from slipping.

,shoulders of the garment, said portions being connected by a horizontal portion of down wardlyfacing open channel formation, said outwardly tan-d downwardly extending ortions having their side edges folded back onto the inner facethe'reof to provide double thickness 7 and a smooth edge.

4. A garment hanger formed from a single strip of sheet metal, one end of the strip being coiled into a hollow tube and sha ed to provide the "shank and supporting hook for the hanger, the other end of the strip being coiled into a tube i'itt'in'g" withint'he tubular-shank and held therein by crimping theshank, the portions-of the strip adjacent the said ends being-extended outwardly and downwardly from the shank and beingof inwardly facing open channel-formation, widened where they Support the collar and shoulders of the garment, said portions being connectedby a horizontal portion of downwardly facingopen channel formation, said downwardly facing channel portion having longitudinally upwardly extendin 'ribs to prevent the garment folded over the same from slipping and having the lower edge portions thereof flutedupwardly.

WILLARD P... BUFFIN.

I REFERENCES --CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 'Name Date 1,963,163 Young i June 19, 1934 2,077,251 Moore Apr. 13, 1937 

